Outline Expedition Report - South Georgia and the South Sandwich

Outline Expedition Report
Introduction
• Georgia SAT highlighthtings were:
1. The longitudinal traverse of the island from Elsehul Bay to Larsen Harbour with an
original part ( following the south coast)
2. Ascents of Paget ( new and direct variation, 6th ascent?), Sheridan Peak ( virgin peak),
new route on Surprise Peak ( and 3rd ascent?), first traverse of the two summits of
Worsley, first ascent of a couloir near Sugartop ( but summit failed), attempt on Quad
5, Trident.
The idea was to mix differents views of adventure with technical mountaineering and a
traverse, which looks very elegant.
Expedition Objectives
•
The expeditions objectives were to traverse South Georgia from N to S and climb
various peaks during the traverse. We finally had to separate the climbs and the
traverse, due to logistics problems. Please see sheet 1 added ( project)
Reports on Activities
•
Report on the activities of the expedition including the following:
• Relevant dates, location of campsites (including huts used), routes walked, vessels
pick up and drop off sites, any unexpected incidents. Please see sheet 2 added
• A map showing land routes and campsites, vessel pick up and drop points. Please
see map1,2,3,4,5,6.
• Standard Post-Visit Report for the expedition vessel, to be completed by the
master of the vessel. Send directly by Isabelle Autissier.
• Any other sketches and photographs, diagrams and maps as appropriate.
Safety Plan
• Comment on the safety plan. Did it work? Could it have been improved?
The safety plan was perfect. It was a great security to have a doctor with us. We have
Iridium contact almost every day with the vessel. VHF did not work as soon as there was
a mountain between us and the vessel. I do not see how this plan could be improved. And
the first thing was to be very careful while climbing…
Environmental Plan
•
Include an assessment of how well the expedition’s measures worked in
minimising environmental impacts, including a record of observed direct impacts.
1
We were most of the time on the glaciers, so environmentals impacts were very low. We
were very few times in contact with the fauna, compared to the lengh of the expedition.
• Any unusual wildlife and or environmental events observed e.g. large numbers of
dead seals or birds or accumulations of beach debris or other rubbish.
Nothing significant.
Expedition Application and Processing
•
Comment on the way your expedition application was processed and suggest any
ways in which the process could be improved.
Expedition application should be easier to obtain for mountaineering expedition,
considering the experience of the team. Ambitious expeditions may arrive in South
Georgia, as there are so much to do. And people who go there are totally responsible of
themselves, in the same way Shackleton, for instance, was on century ago…
Reports of formers expedition should be available in Gritvyken with the mountaineering
book for more details about previous ascents.
Summary
•
Summarise the achievements of your expedition.
-
-
Mount Paget 11 November new (direct) variation by Batoux-Daudet (500m
high?) on the NE face; 2000m from base camp. D+, 75° max Ice
Sheridan Peak NW Ridge called “arête des 70 ans” AD . First climb of the peak
13 November Batoux Cauchy Daudet
Surprise Peak 3rd ascent and new route Batoux-Daudet
Worsley ( 1104m) 2nd ascent ( 1st by Carse?) First traverse of the 2 peaks Batoux
Cauchy Daudet
Attempt on Tridents bad weather
2 Attempts on Sugartop ( 1st bad weather, 2nd no ice in the gully so we followed a
couloir on the left to a little pass, then strong winds, we went down via Surprise
pass.
Skis touring ( twice) near Larsen Harbour
Traverse ( NW to SE) with an original way ( never done before? From
Christophersen to Brogger glacier. Very challenging and technical: Day 9 was the
worst. Done in 11 effective days during a stay of 3 weeks ( we stopped climbing
around Tridents, and we had compulsory rest day on board because of weather
conditions). Sometimes day pack, sometimes with pulks.
Please see http://yannick.michelat.free.fr/GeorgiaSat.htm for more details ( pictures
for instance). Unfortunetaly the website is in french.
2
Dates
08-nov
09-nov
10-nov
11-nov
12-nov
13-nov
14-nov
15-nov
16-nov
17-nov
18-nov
19-nov
20-nov
21-nov
22-nov
23-nov
24-nov
25-nov
26-nov
27-nov
28-nov
29-nov
30-nov
01-dec
02-dec
03-dec
04-dec
05-dec
06-dec
07-dec
08-dec
09-dec
10-dec
11-dec
12-dec
13-dec
14-dec
15-dec
16-dec
17-dec
18-dec
19-dec
20-dec
21-dec
22-dec
23-dec
24-dec
25-dec
26-dec
27-dec
29-dec
30-dec
31-dec
SAILORS
arrival in the afternoon at Gritvyken
drop off of the 3 climbers Cumberland E Bay
Pick up and back to Gritvyken
drop off of the 2 climbers Harpon Bay
Pick up and back to Gritvyken
drop off of the 3 climbers Harpon Bay
Echo pass Harpon hut spent night there with tent
Back to Gritvyken via Echo Pass pick up climbers by boat; back to Gritvyken
CLIMBERS
1st bivvy on Nordenskjöld Glacier
2nd bivvy a the foot of Paget
Summit Paget forBatoux-Daudet Bivvy same place
4th bivvy close to Sheridan Peak
Sheridan Ascent and back to the vessel
Rest day
night in Harpon hut
Batoux Daudet new route surprise PEAK
Rest day
Rest day
night in Harpon hut
bad weather waiting for the sailors
Quad 5 attempt too much snow
Rest day; lecture KEP
Start to Elsehul bay
Arrival at Elsehul Bay in the evening
Elsehul bay - Right Whale bay with the vessel
Right Whale bay- Sunset Fjord with the vessel night Rosita harbour
Sunset Fjord -Sea leopard fjord with the vessel night Prince Olav Harbour
Sea leopard fjord -Possession Bay night Prince Olav Harbour
Drop off Possession Bay
Pick up Possession Bay
Drop off midday Assistance Bay; starting going to Ducloz Head via the N of the island
pick up Rocky Bay night Ducloz head
drop off pulks etc… at the head of Brogger Glacier night Ducloz head
drop off Rocky bay night Ducloz head
Ducloz head - Larsen harbour
Larsen Harbour - Ocean Harbour
Ocean harbour
Gritviken
Gritviken
cumberland east bay
Gritviken
Gritviken
Gritviken
Husvik
Husvik
Leith Harbour
Departure from South Georgia
Bad weather, stay on ADA2
Elsehul bay - Right Whale bay DAY1 Traverse night on board
Right Whale bay- Sunset Fjord Elsehul DAY2 night on board
Sunset Fjord -Sea leopard fjord DAY3 night Prince Olav Harbour
wait, too much wind
Sea leopard fjord - Purvis Glacier Possession Bay DAY4 night on board
Purvis glacier- Base camp on Briggs Glacier
Mount Worsley ascent back to base camp
Bad weather Wait
Back to Brown point night Prince Olav Harbour
Rest day
Back to Briggs glacier base camp DAY 5
Briggs-Kjerulf Glacier bivvy DAY6
Kjerulf-Helland Rocky Bay DAY7 night on board
Rest day
Rest day
Looking at the best way from the vessel
Helland Glacier Ducloz Head DAY8 night on board
Ducloz Head - Brogger glacier find the depot and night there DAY9
Brogger glacier -near Mont Fraser bivvy DAY10
Near mount Fraser Larsen Harbour DAY11
ski on a couloir near ADA2
ski near Doubtful Bay
night in Harpon hut 2 climbers
Attempt on sugartop back to Gritvyken
Ice school at Gubrandsen Lake